The Baked Potato Shop

A couple of minutes walk south uphill into the Old Town from main train station (Waverley Station). Location - top end of Cockburn Street - near Royal Mile. Very vegan friendly and allergy diet friendly (peanut, wheat, flour, etc).Price:Moderatemore-less

Reviews

Great tatties!

5

Posted on 01 / 13 / 2015

This is a little takeaway shop (with a small seating area for 3-4 people) that does exactly what it says, sells filled baked potatoes. Servings are generous, prices are cheap, and the range of fillings is vast including some distinctive things like veggie haggis and spicy hummus. They also sell cans of drink, cakes and a few other things like samosas and salads. A great place for a quick, filling takeaway meal, convenient for the Royal Mile and Waverley Station.

Pros: Great food, lots of choice of fillings, friendly staff Cons: Not much seating, occasional long queues

One of my favorites in Edinburgh

5

Posted on 01 / 03 / 2015

The place serves, well, baked potatoes, with vegetarian or vegan fillings only, from coleslaw to haggis (try the haggis!).
They offer three sizes of portions, with 1 to 3 fillings. The small portion is huge, and price is very good.
Staff is super friendly.

Only issue is with the lack of seating.

Pros: Great variety of fillings, Good value, Portion sizes Cons: Lack of seating

Delicious, Hearty And Warming Food

5

Posted on 12 / 12 / 2014

Went to this place for lunch after travelling 8 hours non stop. Best decision ever. They serve the heartiest, most delicious jacket potatoes filled to the brim with all sorts of amazing fillings. They also do salads and cakes (vegan ones are labelled). They guy serving is super friendly and its not bad value for a massive potato and a drink for £4.99. Glad I ordered a small one cause it was incredibly filling. Definitely going back!

Does What It Says On The Tin

4

Posted on 12 / 08 / 2014

This place has a great selection of vegetarian and vegan options for your baked potatoes. The "small" size of potato is actually pretty massive, which is probably just as well as it's nearly £5 for one,but then it is situated in the city centre.

The fillings I've tried so far have been tasty, the staff seem quite helpful too.

Pros: Good portion size, Good range of fillings Cons: Not cheap for a potato

Filling and excellent value!!

5

Posted on 10 / 07 / 2014

As others have said the vegetarian haggis filling is just excellent!! Very tasty and works so well with the potato. The servings are extremely generous and great value. Just delicious and while some of the toppings seem a bit eclectic they work very well.

There isn't much seating inside which is a problem in the cooler weather, but if it's bearable weather-wise it's easy enough to find a seat nearby outside (good for people watching then too!).

Pros: Vegetarian haggis, Huge portions, Great value Cons: Little seating, Not much left at closing time

Try the vegan haggis!

4

Posted on 09 / 02 / 2014

A tiny hole in the wall takeaway shop, close to the Royal Mile. We were in Edinburgh for the a Festival and had to struggle for the very limited indoor seating available. It was worth it. The weather was cool, the potatoes huge and hot and the vegan haggis filling out of this world. Be warned, a medium potato is huge and two fillings are more than enough. Incredibly good value.

Warm Hearty Vegetarian and Vegan Foods

4

Posted on 07 / 24 / 2014

I only had the chance to eat here twice during my stay, so I didn't get to sample much of their menu as the hours aren't too condusive to the busy tourist, and as has been previously stated when they are busy they don't often have too much left near closing. That being said, I enjoyed my meals and snacks that I left with on both occasions. The seating is small, so I ate in my hotel room which was located nearby, this was too bad as I really enjoyed the unwashed hippy vibe I felt while there as it reminded me of home and many of my favorite vegetarian and vegan restaurants. There are many vegan options available and the deserts were great, my favorite part of my meals there by far, as it is often difficult to get really nice vegan deserts while traveling.

My favourite food stop in Edinburgh!

5

Posted on 06 / 20 / 2014

When staying in Edinburgh, I always stop at the Baked Potato Shops in the evenings, because it has such a convenient, central location close to the train station and the Royal Mile, it's so easy to have a meal here and the potatoes are just delicious!
All the fillings are clearly marked, so it's easy to see what is vegan and what is not, and there are also vegan cakes and sweets.
Unfortunately there is only one table, so it is rather a takeaway, but there are lots of public benches nearby, and sometimes I even take the potato back to my hotel and had it here, still being quite hot.

Pros: Delicious baked potatoes, Lots of vegan choices and clearly marked, Great location Cons: Not a lot of seating

Great takeaway spuds!

4

Posted on 06 / 08 / 2014

I visited the Baked Potato Shop for the first time this weekend and was very impressed! It's extremely good value with enormous portion sizes (I struggled to finish a small one) with a good selection of vegan fillings, which are clearly marked on the board. The staff were lovely and friendly. It's also handily close to Edinburgh Waverley train station, so I'll definitely keep this in mind for the future.

big portion

2

Posted on 02 / 23 / 2014

i was a bit disappointed as i was really looking forward to go for a haggis filling. i came after 7 pm (they close already at 8 pm) and there was not much left so i took a quinoa salad in a small potato which was already big. there was no free sitting place inside so we had to eat outside. the salad was delicious but i didnt really like to taste of tatties.. not sure if that was a sort of potato this particular or my taste.
i also didnt find the price particularly cheap. but the idea of potato shop if of course fantastic.

Pros: tasty salad, friendly staff Cons: not cheap, in the end of the day no choice, small place

great tatties

4

Posted on 02 / 20 / 2014

very impressed with the baked tatties here, not only huge, but mighty tasty as well. Good selection of toppings, does exactly as it says on the tin. The only downside is only having one table, which can be shared. plenty on public benches near by, so don't let it put you off, but is a takeaway place. Great healthy options, veggie haggis topping is great

Generous and Delicious

5

Posted on 01 / 01 / 2014

Popped in here on a rainy Edinburgh day. DELICIOUS haggis, and huge serving size. Got the small with two toppings (spicy hummus and haggis). Both were great, but I was really blown away by the haggis...so tasty. Had a nice selection of vegan cakes as well. Limited seating is the only con here.

Amazing haggis

4

Posted on 12 / 23 / 2013

I went here with a friend (she's vegetarian) while we were in Edinburgh for the weekend. We had been on the free city tour and asked the guide where in Edinburgh we could get vegetarian haggis and this is where he told us to go.
We both had the small baked potato (which was huge!) with haggis and the haggis was amazing! We went up to the counter to ask them how to make it and the lady working there went down to the kitchen to find the chef - he told us they bought it in but he showed us the packaging so we could take a photo of the ingredients, which was really lovely of him.
We ended up going back there the next day to buy some samosas for our way home, they were also great.
We were there in the winter and getting a hot potato was a great way to warm up and we managed to get a seat as it wasn't busy at all. As others have pointed out there isn't really much of a seating area, so if you are there in the winter and it's full, it may not be the best place simply because you'll have to sit outside with your food. And as somebody else said the plastic cutlery really is useless! Bring your own!!

Bake a generous sized spud...but TOO MUCH PLASTIC

3

Posted on 12 / 05 / 2013

I have been to the Baked Potato Shop many a time and the size of the portions and the taste of the food never seizes to amaze me. You will probably be satisfied with a small. A very good selection of fillings and most of these are vegan. The staff seem friendly and helpful most of the time. The seating area is fairly small but it can be quite cosy and often times I have found myself easily speaking to random people and learning a lot about local or international communities. The only thing that really bugs me is that there is TOO MUCH PLASTIC. This really frustrates me and makes me somewhat reluctant to eat there for two reasons: not only is it a) an unnecessary use of resources but b) the plastic cutlery provided is in any case absolutely useless for eating a baked potato, snapping all the time. I'm really not quite sure why they don't have proper cutlery - maybe bring your own!
Updated from previous review on Thursday December 05, 2013

Perfect for a quick bite

4

Posted on 11 / 21 / 2013

I went there several times because it is very well located and offers a lot of vegan choices, even for desserts. I tried their haggis, different filled hot potatoes and several cakes. Portions are very generous, food is spicy and tasty, even if sometimes heavy. Cakes are really yummy. Prices are low which makes the food good for value.

The place itself is relatively small. You rarely can have a seat there because it is often crowded, which makes it difficult to take time to choose among the numerous items offered. Because of the generous portions and that food is not served in solid plates but in paper plates, it is recommended to find a calm place to eat, and to have a seat and a table.

Good selection, not mind-blowing

3

Posted on 10 / 19 / 2013

Went here while holidaying in Edinburgh: the choice was really varied, and price good. Downside is very limited seating and no toilets, but good for a take-away. I also really enjoyed the very yummy cakes they had! Not the most mind blowing potatoes I've had, but it was good for a cheap and varied option.

I think the customer service needed improving, though - the music was a tad loud, and we could barely hear the person serving. A lady asked for it to be turned down, to which they said no. Sorry, but it was difficult to hear, and the customer is always right. Leave your loud music at home, please!

Went there based on good reviews - very pleased

4

Posted on 08 / 13 / 2013

Dead easy to find, went in at lunch time during the Fringe Festival so the queue was out of the door. No problem, the two people were working efficiently and I only had a short wait. Had a medium potato with the chilli filling. No medium pots so she gave me two small ones. Very tasty and I was well pleased. Will definitely go again next time I am there.
Note that these are REAL baked potatoes so you will not be able to cut the skins with the flimsy plastic cutlery :-)
Updated from previous review on Tuesday August 13, 2013

Excellent!

5

Posted on 06 / 07 / 2013

I tried the Baked Potato Shop on my last visit to the city and I was ver happy with it :)
They have so many choices, vegan as well as vegetarian, that it is hard to think of whick one you would like to have. I had been warned before to take just a small potato, because the medium one is enough for two meals, and the person was right! Even with my "small" potato, I had more than enough and I ate it for Lunch and as an after-lunch snack.
I had Mexican Salad filling, which was delicous but very spicy! So if the guy selling these things tells you that something is spicy, better believe it ;)
The prices were ok, the staff was friendly...what does a veggie in Edinburgh need more?

Great for veggies and vegans alike

5

Posted on 04 / 28 / 2013

I have been here many times over the years and, although it can be busy, it is always worth the wait. I love love love the baked potato with veggie haggis. They also have an option for vegan spread instead of butter which is great. There is a good selection of tinned juice such as elderflower juice. etc. Although the seating is minimal, I enjoy sitting on the steps over the road just eating my food and watching people go about their business. The portions are huge so make sure you are hungry!

Pros: Large portions, Vegan options Cons: Only one table, Can be waiting (but worth the wait)

Top Drawer

5

Posted on 10 / 19 / 2012

i dont usually write reviews so if i go through the pain of registering and writing then the place has to be worth the effort. This is a small shop tucked away on the corner while coming down from the Castle. We were famished and i went in to check if anything vegetarian was available for me and the misus. To our delight the entire shop had various scottish and other veggie delights. Veggie Haggis samosa remains my top favorite and i will recommend this place to any person looking for healthy quality veggie food near the Castle area. simple Top Drawer.

Awful Service

2

Posted on 08 / 16 / 2012

After reading good reviews on happycow I went along. The service was awful. It was busy when I entered with one girl working when a man entered claiming he did not work there before staggering behind the counter and making himself dinner, acting like a clown to a busy shop for 10 minutes before going downstairs. The girl slipped and burnt her arm on the oven before becoming the clown's sidekick further slowing down service. The customers behind me left in anger and after a few more minutes so did I.

I'm disappointed because the food looked great. Shame about the staff. I have never written a negative comment about a vegan restaurant before but feel the service here needs to be rectified.

Brilliant potatoes and delicious vegan cakes.

5

Posted on 05 / 22 / 2012

The food here is great, masses of choice for vegans (the place is totally vegetarian) including vegan margarine for the potatoes and lots of wonderfully delicious vegan cakes. I had the veggie haggis on my potato and it was great. It's really a takeaway so don't expect to sit down (just a couple of tables inside which are often full) but there's lots of places to sit down outside and as there are lots of hotels nearby, including the one we were staying in, it's quite easy to take your food back to your room too. Gets very busy but service is fast and prices are very cheap.

Great little potato shop !

5

Posted on 05 / 13 / 2012

Great vegan potato shop. Huge portions, we had the medium spud with veg haggis and it was more than enough. Everyone loved this place, only downside is there's very little seating but if the weathers nice you can sit on the ledge outside. If you're a tourist, like us, the location is great being just off the royal mile and 5min from the castle. Will def go back again if in Edinburgh again.

BIggest baked potatoes in the world!!!

4

Posted on 10 / 24 / 2011

This is a staple stop every time we go to Edinburgh. Their portion sizes are enormous and there is such a big choice. I particularly like half humous and half veggie haggis. The veg chilli is also really nice. There is a big salad bar to choose from, soups and locally made cakes (many vegan options). You won't have room for cake though, huuuuuuuge baked tatties!

Pros: huge portions, good range of toppings, homemade cake Cons: very small sitting in area

If it ain't broke - don't fix it!

5

Posted on 08 / 06 / 2011

This USED to be run by David Bann many years ago, before he moved on to his excellent restaurant operation. It continued to offer excellent value food and now...well, my long-time favourite cheap fast food for veggie/vegan food has recently changed hands, let's hope that they don't spoil a winning formula and introduce non-veg! This place does such great business, often advertised by the presence of a queue outside. Veggie haggis samosa along with a multitude of mostly cold fillings but with some hot ones - such as veggie haggis. Some good filled roll options and some nice cake slices top off one of the best option for fast food in a city which is not cheap to eat out in. Alternative option if you find this closed is the Mosque Kitchen - 5 minutes walk up the Bridges. In general 3.00 to 5.00 pounds for a filling meal. Music is eclectic at times but then it must be a hot place to work in during the Summer when they are working flat-out and need some inspiration to cope with the masses!

Best baked potatoes on the planet.

Nothing really, except that I'm a bit of a connoisseur of baked potatoes..... and these are the best I've ever had - anywhere in the world.

Great steaming tatties and inventive, tasty fillings...... I'm salivating just thinking about it!

And if you are lucky enough to get a seat - even better. I always pull the old "ooh, me poor old backs really playing up" number. Which comes in handy too when there's amplifiers and drumkits to be shifted.

Essential Budget Eating

4

Posted on 07 / 06 / 2010

Superb place with a few low key seats if you want to 'dine in' sitting at the window. Cracking location, massive vegan choice, loads of imaginative fillings too numerous to mention much more creative than the standard cheese savoury, egg mayo and baked beans fayre offered by most baked potato places. They also sell sos-mix rolls and vegan pasties. Great for a budget feed when you arrive in the city or just before travelling back. For what this place represents, I give it 4 cows. Every city should have one.

A MUST!!!!!!

5

Posted on 02 / 14 / 2010

I lived in Edinburgh for a year and can't count the number of baked potatoes that I enjoyed from this cozy little potato shop!!! There is very limited seating but it's still worth a visit ~ just take your food outside and find yourself a great spot to sit and observe the happenings of the High Street. This shop also sells rolls including my favourite that had vegan coleslaw and spicy bean pate on it!!! Very sensible prices and a very friendly staff - ENJOY!

Cheap and cheerful

4

Posted on 01 / 12 / 2010

Fantastic range of fillings, vegan and vegetarian fillings kept seperate, and great value for money. The staff are always really friendly and play good music.

The place is really small so it's best to take away, although many times I've sat with complete strangers at the little table in there and eaten away quite happily. They also have a soup of the day (sometimes vegan), filled rolls,samosas and vegan cakes. Always fresh, tasty, cheap and cheerful. Great stuff!

Huge lines, but worth it! Try the Haggis

4

Posted on 08 / 14 / 2009

Let me tell you this isn't an easy place for a quick bite. There can be long lines, slow service, and no where to eat your potato, but its WORTH IT! Now one of my potatoes was undercooked, but I ordered a large which = 2, and after the first one I was stuffed anyways. I got mine with Vegan Haggis & beans and it was amazing. There is enough of that Haggis stuff for two people so just one person get it. They place is really the "baked" people making baked potato shop, which accounts for the chaos! Its a fun stop and a must do while in Edinburgh!

Good tasty hearty meals on the cheap.

5

Posted on 07 / 03 / 2009

I visit Edinburgh quite often and religiously visit the Baked Potato Shop. I've huddled up in the corner on a freezing December evening with a massive jacket potato and generous helping of vegan chilli that set me back less than £4, stopped by for a takeaway cup of tea with soya milk (for 65p, cheapest I've found!) when I've had a few minutes to spare before my train, and nipped in to grab a vegan haggis samosa for the stroll up the royal mile.. and in again for a piece of vegan carrot cake on the way back down ;)

A really good choice of fillings, plenty for vegans. You can also get a pitta with any of the fillings, or a salad tray. Sandwiches and various flapjacks, cakes and snacks are available and inexpensive.

Best not to rely on getting a seat inside, as there is only one table with a bench either side. It is a takeaway so can't complain.

Friendly and outgoing service & large range.

5

Posted on 04 / 12 / 2009

This small but popular shop is located so centrally at the top of Cockburn street it's well worth the visit. It gets quite busy during the lunch period - around midday - and there can be a lengthy queue stretching across the threshold. However the service is quite brisk and the baked potato portions are seriously over-generous. During my last visit up to the Scottish capital I kept solely to the medium-sized versions - they were that large !
There's more to this place though; they've also got an interesting and deliciously sweet range of vegan cakes and other items, eg.flapjacks, which are suitable for straightforward vegetarians. My own favourite was the lemon cake. This was vegan, and there are more than enough options for multiple trips from strict vegetarians.
My own strategy for enjoying the region of Lothian and nearby was to get my cake/tummy supplies for the day here. If there's one thing you might want to consider it's the dearth of seating, but this isn't unreasonable in such a tiny shop. And besides it's just as simple to find a place outside, somewhere around the Royal Mile. There are some benches in Hunter Square, above Blair Street, but in my experience they're occasionally frequented by some shifty looking folk. This place is ideal for getting breakfast, lunch, and some snacks; it's not a restaurant, so probably wouldn't do for supper.

Perfect!

A filling meal

3

Posted on 08 / 13 / 2008

This was the first place I ate during my week in Edinburgh, and at first, I was quite pleased with my meal of a baked potato with vegan haggis for 3.50 pounds. It is a little bothersome that they don't have tables, but they are very close to a central square off of the Royal Mile (just across from Starbucks) where you can sit and dine (and sometimes catch a street performance).

The menu clearly indicates which offerings are vegan. In addition to filled potatoes, they also have some Indian treats like samosas.

For someone trying to dine inexpensively, I have found that a shop just a few buildings down Cockburn St called Mama Says has the same desserts and samosas, plus vegan pasties, for much cheaper.

3.50 pounds is one of the best deals you can find for a full meal in the city, and most would tell you that it's inexpensive, but the Engine Shed Cafe, the Forest Cafe, and the pasties in some of the shops have this place outdone.

There is usually a huge line spilling out of the storefront, but service is quite quick. It's just that popular.

Vegan Haggis!

4

Posted on 07 / 25 / 2008

Oh man, this place was so great. I couldn't even finish my baked potato topped with sunflower spread and vegan haggis. But it was so incredible! I went back the next day and couldn't resist getting the haggis again in a pita. I wish I could have eaten here more while I was there!

Not just baked potatoes...

4

Posted on 05 / 23 / 2008

Not being a fan of baked potatoes, I have avoided this wee place until recently. However, following a friend's praise for it, I had to investigate.

Today I had a vegan haggis samosa and a slice of mandarin and chocolate chip cake. On a previous visit, I have had mango and kiwi fruit cake and the haggis samosa. The samosa was tasty and spicy. The cakes were gorgeous.

And while I was waiting for my cake to be sliced, today, I had time to look at what else they have - a wide range of vegan and veggie salads which can go on top of a baked tattie or you can have them without the tattie, on their own.

Much-loved

5

Posted on 05 / 21 / 2008

This place might be small but it's big on value for money. And it still rates as one of my favourite cafes in the UK. No prizes for guessing what they specialise in, but a visit to the Baked Potato Shop always leaves my large appetite feeling satisfied - and my wallet relatively unscathed. For £3.50 you can have your fill of baked potato with a variety of tempting hot and cold fillings. You can also have pittas or trays of salad.
You can "eat in" - though there's only one table - but the cafe is in a fantastic location with loads of places to eat nearby.

great for lunch and dinner

5

Posted on 03 / 20 / 2008

I went here a few times when I was in Edinburgh in January 2008. The location is amazing - right off the Royal Mile. The shop owner was EXTREMELY friendly. I had the vegan haggis (!!) stuffed potato. It was huge and delicious. They even have some great vegan desserts. There is only one booth but they can make your food to-go.

The Baked Potato Shop, Edinburgh

4

Posted on 10 / 08 / 2006

For me who uses the main train station in edinburgh a lot the location of this place is great. To get there you have to go up the steps out of the station and it feels a bit like a hike that a mountain goat woulo love. In reallity though it's only a few minutes walk. Vegans are well catered for. The baked tatties are enormous and could fill anyone. Top value for money